Localized Aviation MOS Program

LAMP Announcement

January 19, 2006

Attention LAMP users:

The LAMP system, which currently provides an
update to the NGM MOS guidance, is currently being redeveloped to update the
more modern GFS MOS guidance. Beginning on or around January 23, 2006, the web
site http://weather.gov/mdl/lamp
will contain information about the new GFS-LAMP system. At this site, you will be able to
find experimental guidance from the redeveloped system, in addition to technical
information about the new system. This web site is experimental, contains
experimental products, and is not supported 24x7. However, as with the current
NGM-based LAMP system, please contact us if you notice that the data are old, and
we will try to rectify the situation as soon as we can.

As of January 2006, one GFS LAMP cycle is
nearing completion, and that is the 0900 UTC cycle. Our next cycle will be 2100
UTC, and will be available on this web site in an experimental mode in Spring 2006.

For more details about the new system,
please visit our web site.

Key differences between the NGM-based LAMP
system and the GFS-based LAMP system are summarized below:

Current (NGM-based) LAMP

New (GFS-based) LAMP

Updates

NGM MOS

GFS MOS

Runs

Locally in AWIPS

Centrally on NCEP computers

Distribution

Within AWIPS, NWS ftp server,
experimentally on web

Across NOAAport,
SBN, NWS ftp server experimentally on
web, received in AWIPS and at NWS National Centers

Probability of Thunderstorm Occurring in a
20-km gridbox in a 2-h period

No

Planned

Best Category (yes/no) for
Occurrence of thunderstorm in a 20-km
gridbox in a 2-h period

No

Planned

Precipitation Type

Yes

Planned

Precipitation Characteristics

No

Planned

Sky Cover

Yes

Planned

Ceiling Height

Yes

Planned

Conditional Ceiling Height

No

Planned

Visibility

Yes

Planned

Conditional Visibility

No

Planned

Obstruction to Vision

Yes

Planned

Quantitative Precipitation Forecast

Yes

Not Planned

Cloud Layers

Yes

Not Planned

Text and graphical guidance for the 0900 UTC
cycle for the above GFS-LAMP elements will be available on the web site
starting on or about January 23, 2006, with the following exceptions:
Probability of thunderstorms, best category of thunderstorms occurring,
precipitation type, and conditional ceiling height.
Guidance for these elements will be available
on the web site as soon as they are thoroughly tested.
In addition, probability of precipitation in
a 12-hour period and precipitation characteristics will be available only via
the BUFR formatted data. They will not
be available in a text format.

The NGM-based LAMP guidance will continue to
be available on the web site until such time that the product is no longer an
operational product in AWIPS.